Blocking factory parking heater outlet with kitchen unit/pod?

[TallPaul_S]

Hey all, I'm about to start looking at options with regards to building my own (removable) kitchen pod for my Caravelle, with fridge, sink and a couple of gas burners.

The only issue is that with how my van is laid out, with a swivelling passenger seat, the ideal location for the kitchen pod is behind the driver's seat. But... to fit everything in, the unit will be very close to/blocking the factory parking heater vent in the lower B pillar. Has anyone else had this issue and got around it?

My current thinking is that there's just enough room to have the unit seal up against the vent, then have ducting or a heat resistant painted channel within the unit, along the back of the drivers seat and/or along the sliding door, which would then exit in a vent panel on the kitchen pod.

The simple answer of just moving it further away from the vent isn't an option, space is very limited due to what I'm doing with the rest of the van (room to fit 1x MTB wheels on, or 2x MTB's front wheel off).

 

[oldiebut goodie]

What heater do you have fitted?

 

[TallPaul_S]

What heater do you have fitted?

The factory option Eberspacher auxiliary heater (& leisure battery) with these vents

 

[oldiebut goodie]

If you have the 4Kw offering it will not be as easy due to the 90mm ducting but you can ignore the b-pillar fitting and run the ducting back and come up under a unit. It is tight getting the ducting through due to a reinforcing bar/beam running along the chassis (above the floor panel from underneath where you cannot see it) but it can be done.
If you had the 2Kw heater it is easier due to the smaller 60mm duct and you will have more choices for the vent.

I have split my 90mm duct and have 2 x 60mm vents in the base of the seat on the offside - red arrows. One pointing to the cab and the other pointing to the loo/shower room.

 

[TallPaul_S]

If you have the 4Kw offering it will not be as easy due to the 90mm ducting but you can ignore the b-pillar fitting and run the ducting back and come up under a unit. It is tight getting the ducting through due to a reinforcing bar/beam running along the chassis (above the floor panel from underneath where you cannot see it) but it can be done.
If you had the 2Kw heater it is easier due to the smaller 60mm duct and you will have more choices for the vent.

I have split my 90mm duct and have 2 x 60mm vents in the base of the seat on the offside - red arrows. One pointing to the cab and the other pointing to the loo/shower room.

View attachment 206755

Ahh ok, gotcha - mine is the 3Kw heater.




However, I'm trying to make everything fully removable and so I don't really want to be altering the factory fitted venting. I think ducting within the kitchen unit might still be the best option.

 

[oldiebut goodie]

You will have either 75mm or 90mm outlet on that heater.
What I would do is have a 75mm outlet hood on the heater and then run the duct across the van and come up through the passenger seat base to a vent at the rear of the seat. Leave the factory vents in situ for ease of reverting in future. It would be do-able.

 

[dErZ]

Hey all, I'm about to start looking at options with regards to building my own (removable) kitchen pod for my Caravelle, with fridge, sink and a couple of gas burners.

The only issue is that with how my van is laid out, with a swivelling passenger seat, the ideal location for the kitchen pod is behind the driver's seat. But... to fit everything in, the unit will be very close to/blocking the factory parking heater vent in the lower B pillar. Has anyone else had this issue and got around it?

My current thinking is that there's just enough room to have the unit seal up against the vent, then have ducting or a heat resistant painted channel within the unit, along the back of the drivers seat and/or along the sliding door, which would then exit in a vent panel on the kitchen pod.

The simple answer of just moving it further away from the vent isn't an option, space is very limited due to what I'm doing with the rest of the van (room to fit 1x MTB wheels on, or 2x MTB's front wheel off).

I've got the vangear kitchen pod which is removeable and the OEM factory heating coming out the B pillar. I use a fire blanket to direct the heat into the cab so it doesnt melt the pod.